First Class Sm7 FLIRT for VR

On 29 November 2022, VR Group and Stadler signed a contract for the supply of 20 four-car FLIRT EMUs with a maximum speed of 160 km/h. In addition to the supply of spare parts, the contract also includes an option for up to 50 more units and the possibility of ensuring complete maintenance by the manufacturer.

The final asembly of these trains has been underway since last year at the Siedlce works, and on 9 May 2025, the first of them arrived in Finland - by ship from Gdynia to the port of Hanko. Here, the individual cars were set to their bogies and on 16 May, the assembled train was pulled to the Ilmala depot in Helsinki, where it subsequently began type tests. These will take place in the capital area, but also in other parts of the country and will last until the summer of 2026. According to current status the maintenance of the Class Sm7s will be managed by VR.

The new trains (with the ABB traction equipment) will offer space for 796 passengers, 356 of whom are seated, and are intended for regional transport, for example around Helsinki and the Tampere region, but if necessary, they can also be used in intercity transport. As the photos show, the exterior painting differs from the “Green Steam” design, which won last year’s competition for a new colour scheme for single- and double-deck vehicles.

We asked VR, why it is not used the green steam livery. The operator answered us: "Green Steam won the train livery design idea competition which VR organized in 2023. The design was also applied on one InterCity car as stated in the competition rules. Following the competition, VR decided to initiate a separate train livery design project in collaboration with Pentagon Design Oy, Helsinki. This design will be taken in use more widely across VR’s fleet."

81 FLIRTs of the Class Sm5 are already in operation in Finland, including the thousandth example of this family, which was delivered to Junakalusto Oy in 2016 as Sm5-058. The new Class Sm7 FLIRTs are also adapted to the climatic conditions in Finland, for example by using larger snow ploughs, underfloor heating and special thermal insulation and particularly sealed spaces for traction equipment. Liebherr-Transportation System is supplying HVAC systems with propane used as the coolant.